Haunting Lessons
by newbienovelistRD
Summary: Sasha meets a ghost who needs help getting his scare back.


**After watching the new Disney channel Halloween special, 'Ghost Patrol', I became struck with great inspiration and did this story!**

 **This story is a special surprise for my best fanfic friend, the one and only GoldGuardian2418! Please enjoy and no flames!**

* * *

Rachel and Sasha Jocklin were sightseeing in a cozy little harbor town. They were having one of their sister vacations where it was just the two of them. They haven't had one of those in a long time.

Rachel took pictures of the lighthouse. "This town is so beautiful, Sasha!"

"It sure is!" said Sasha, inhaling the crisp autumn breeze. "Where to next?"

Once she was done taking pictures, Rachel took out the brochure. "Let's see...how about we check out Geist Manor?"

"Geist Manor?"

"Yeah, it's an old mansion that's said to be two hundred years old. It's the town's most historic landmark." Rachel said. "In fact, it's right over there!"

Sasha looked and gasped.

There was Geist Manor. It was made of old, grey bricks and had a dark blue roof with pointed turrets.

And it looked...haunted.

Rachel heard her sister whimper.

"Uh, Rachel, how about we head back to the hotel?" Sasha looked at the sky. "It'll be dark soon."

If there was one thing Sasha was deathly afraid of, it was haunted houses. Because haunted houses had ghosts, another one of Sasha's greatest fears.

"Relax, Sasha. We'll just be in and out." Rachel started walking off.

"NO! Rachel! Wait!" Sasha had no choice but to follow her sister to Geist Manor.

* * *

Rachel was the first to run past the old gate and up to the manor. She stared with her jaw slacked open. "Wow..."

Sasha caught up with her. "Rachel! Rachel!"

"Perfect timing, sis!" Rachel started taking pictures. "Just look at this place! You can just feel the history!"

"It's not history I feel..." Sasha said weakly. She was feeling fear. Pure fear bubbling inside her. "Can we go now?"

"Not yet. We still have to go inside."

"INSIDE?!" Sasha screamed. "NO WAY!"

Seeing her sister's scared state, Rachel smiled. "Don't worry, Sasha. You wait out here while I go inside."

"Really?! I don't be have to go inside?!" Sasha felt so relived.

Rachel shrugged. "Yeah, I know old houses creep you out, since you think they're haunted." She rolled her eyes. "So I'll go in, get some pictures, and come out. Be right back!"

Sasha watched Rachel walk in. "Rachel sure is brave!" Sasha said to herself. "I know I'd never go in there. I'll bet it's crawling with ghosts!"

Then Sasha realized something. Something that made her feel ill at ease again.

"What if there really is a ghost in there?"

Sasha gulped. She imagined Rachel, her sister and best friend, getting terrorized or eaten by a ghost.

And there's no way she going to let that happen.

"I've got to save her!" Sasha took a deep breath and went into the house.

Inside, Rachel was in one of the old rooms. She eyed the old portrait of the mansion's deceased owner; Walter Geist.

The Colonel was a distinguished, lean man. He wore white gloves, a monocle, and an old solder uniform. He had a head of nicely combed hair and a thick mustache covered his upper lip.

"Wow! An actual portrait of the great Walter Geist!" Rachel said in awe. "A true war hero!" She took the portrait's picture on her phone. "Isn't this cool, Sash-"

She looked back but Sasha wasn't there.

"Oh..." Rachel forgot her sister wasn't with her. "I miss her already."

* * *

Sasha trembled as she stepped inside Geist Manor. "R-Rachel? Where are you?" She spoke softly because if there really was a ghost, she didn't want to disturb it.

Seeing no one downstairs, Sasha decided to look upstairs. As she went up the old steps, Sasha was becoming less afraid.

"Maybe there's no ghost here after all." Sasha came to a door that was open a crack. She opened it and went in.

"Rachel?" Sasha said a bit louder. "Are you in here?" She walked to the large window and saw a great view of the town. "Hmm, guess she's not-"

Sasha turned. And she froze.

Sitting on a sofa across from her was a mustached man in an old military uniform. He was glowing greenish-blue and had purple eyes.

And he a ghostly tail where his legs should be!

It was the ghost of Walter Geist!

"G-G-G-GHOOOOOST! AAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Sasha tried to run but tripped on a loose floorboard. Panicking, she looked back and scurried away from the ghost.

But the ghost just sighed and looked away from Sasha, hardly interested.

"Huh?" Sasha was now confused. Why was this ghost ignoring her?

"Uh, Mr. G-G-Ghost." Sasha said feebly. "How come you're not chasing me?"

"What would be the point?" the ghost grumbled. His voice was crusty with age.

Sasha stood up. "But...you're a ghost. Aren't you suppose to be scaring away intruders? This is your house, isn't it?"

"Of course it's my house!" the ghost exclaimed, shooting off the couch. "It's just that...no one is scared of ghosts anymore."

"What are you talking about?!" Sasha blubbered. "You scared the heck out of me!"

The ghost rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. I didn't do anything. You're just too easy to scare."

Sasha opened her mouth, offended. But closed it when she realized he was right. "Yeah, I am..."

The sad ghost groaned. "Why, just the other day, I tried scaring an intruder, but that scoundrel thought I was fake! I should just quit haunting this old house."

"What?! No! You can't quit!" Sasha told him. "You have to protect your home, right?"

"Well, yes. But what can I do? I'm not scary anymore..."

"Yes, you are!" Sasha said. "You just need to...step up your game, that's all."

Now it was the ghost's turn to be confused. "My game? Game of what?"

Sasha chuckled a little. "No, I mean you need to learn how to be scarier. And I'll teach you."

The ghost arched his bushy eyebrow. "You? A skittish whipper-snapper teach me?"

"Sure! I mean, what have you got to lose? You're a ghost."

"Hmm..." He rubbed his chin. "You make a valid point, my dear. Very well!" He bowed politely. "I am the ghost of Colonel Walter Beaufort Geist, at your service."

"And I am Sasha Jocklin. Nice to meet you, Colonel." She saluted to the ghost. "Now, let's start with the basics. First, let's hear some of your spooky sounds."

Colonel Geist cleared his throat and let out a deep, creepy moan.

"How's that?" he said when he was done.

"Not bad. I felt my skin crawl a little. But it can be improved." Sasha said honestly. "Try doing it louder and spookier. Like this..." Sasha cleared her throat.

"OOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAA!" She belted out a ghostly wail that echoed throughout the room.

Colonel Geist floated back in alarm. "By George! You actually sounded...frightening!"

Sasha smiled proudly. "See? If I can do it, so can you! Try it. Just dig deep and let it all out!"

The Colonel closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and,

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOO!"

Sasha didn't hide her surprise because she was too scared! She felt all of her arm hairs sticking up.

"How was that, dear? Scary?"

His question was answered when he saw Sasha's trembling knees.

"V-V-V-Very scary!" Sasha calmed down. "Okay, sound effects, check!" She cleared her throat. "Next, what kind of scary tricks can you do, Colonel?"

"Behold!" Geist disappeared, then reappeared as a severed head floating upside down. "Wooooooo!"

Sasha felt uneasy, but not terrified.

"It could be scarier." She snapped her fingers. "I know what you can do! I remember seeing this in a movie!"

Geist became full bodied. "Movie?"

Sasha leaned in and whispered her idea to the ghost.

Geist's eye grew behind his monocle. "What?! I never heard anything so preposterous in my afterlife! I can't do that!"

"Come on, if you can become a severed head, then you can do that. Just use your imagination!" Sasha assured him. "So, what other haunting problems do you have?"

"Well, I want people to stay away from my home. And sometimes when I tell them to get out, they just keep coming back! How can I make them leave and never come back?!"

Sasha pondered hard on this one. "Maybe you can try reverse psychology."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Yeah, instead of telling people to get out, scare them into staying. I mean, I wouldn't want to stay in a haunted house forever!"

"My! You're right!" The Colonel was impressed. "You're quite a clever clogs, aren't you, Sasha?"

Sasha blinked. "Uh, thanks. I guess."

Suddenly, the two heard footsteps. They exited the room and looked down. There, they saw Rachel sitting on a dusty old chair.

"Look! There's my sister, Rachel! Now's your chance, Colonel!" Sasha said.

"Now?!"

"Yes, now! A fresh victim right down there! Just remember what we talked about!"

With a bound and determined look, Colonel Geist gave Sasha a salute. "At your command, Coach!" He went invisible.

Rachel slumped in the chair. "Gotta rest a minute."

"Stay as long as you want..." a grave voice bellowed.

Flinching, Rachel looked over her shoulder and out popped the ghost of Colonel Geist!

"Like FOREVER!" he wailed.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Rachel screamed and practicality flew off the couch.

She ran to the door, but the Colonel blocked her way. "Leaving so soon? I beg to differ..."

Rachel screamed even louder and went up the stairs.

"Oh, I haven't had so much fun in years!" The Colonel looked pretty happy for a grumpy old ghost.

Rachel ran into a room and saw her sister Sasha.

"SASHA!" Rachel tackled her sister in a hug. "What are you doing in here?! This place is haunted! WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!"

"Its okay, Rachel." Sasha said without a hint of fear in her voice.

Rachel looked at Sasha like she grew a third eye. "What?!"

"That was Colonel Geist. He's the ghost that haunts this place. And he's really a friendly ghost. I've been teaching him-"

Suddenly, the door slammed and it locked.

"AHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!"

Hearing an evil ghostly laugh made the girls jump and scream.

"Uh, Colonel?" Sasha squeaked.

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

The Colonel's wail shook the walls like there was an earthquake! Portraits started falling and the floorboards were moving as if they were alive.

Rachel and Sasha hugged each other and started to scream.

Feeling a cold breeze behind them, they girl turned and saw the ghostly Colonel Geist. He took his head off and laughed maniacally, green slime started splurting out of his neck!

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Rachel and even Sasha were screaming in pure, sheer terror! They held each other as they fell onto the floor. They were too scared to stand!

"I did it! I really did it!" Colonel Geist reattached his head. "You were right, Sasha! I can do it!"

Sasha looked at the grinning ghost with large frightened eyes. "Y-Y-Yeah...that was even scarier than in the movie!"

Rachel was beyond baffled. "What is going on here?!"

"That's what I was going to tell you." Sasha helped her sister up. "Colonel Geist thought he wasn't scary anymore. But I gave him some pointers and he just passed with flying colors!"

"I've certainly got my spirit back!" Colonel Geist chortled. "I feel like I can scare the dickens out of anyone! All thanks to you, my dear."

"Wow," Rachel breathed. "To think, you giving haunting lessons to a ghost!"

Sasha shrugged. "When you've been scared silly by all sorts of ghosts and monsters, you pick up a few things." she admitted. "Well, we better get going, Colonel. It's been amazing meeting you!"

"And it has truly been an honor meeting you, Sasha." He and Sasha shook hands. "You have my eternal gratitude."

"That's my little sister." Rachel hugged Sasha. "And I'm glad to meet you in person, Colonel Geist! I've read many stories about you!"

"My pleasure to make your day, child." Colonel said. "Let me show you out."

* * *

Colonel Geist kindly escorted the Jocklin sisters outside. "Be sure to visit the next time you're in town." he said.

"Thanks, Colonel. We will." Rachel said, smiling.

"Goodbye, Colonel." Sasha said. "Take it easy!"

"Farewell, ladies!" Colonel Geist waved goodbye as the girls waved back.

Rachel and Sasha returned to their hotel. "Well, that was quite an adventure." Rachel said as she fell on the bed.

"Yeah, this is definitely one for the books!" Sasha's said, dropping next to her.

"Who knows? Maybe you can run a ghost school!" Rachel joked.

"Oh, nooooo thank you!" Sasha said, shaking her hands. "I'm still shook from the Colonel! No way am I gonna be a permanent ghost coach!"

"Maybe I can be your student!" Rachel said in a deep ghost voice. "Woooooooo!"

Sasha laughed. "Stop it, sis!" She nudged her.

Rachel draped a bed sheet over her and kept making spooky noises. She started chasing Sasha.

The sisters spent the rest of the night pretending to be goofy ghosts and laughing into their pillows.

* * *

Back at Geist Manor, two human children, Gabi and Spence, returned. The Colonel appeared before them. "Welcome back, children!" he greeted warmly.

"Well, you seem chipper today, Colonel." Spence said.

"How was guard duty?" asked Gabi. "I know it must be pretty boring haunting this old house."

"Oh, on the contrary, Gabi. I've had quite a splendid time today." The Colonel said with a true smile.


End file.
